The engine murmured like a lullaby, and the night outside melted into a quiet blur of sleepy streetlamps and wind-tossed wires.
Inside the car, it felt strangely normal.
Too normal.
Zorion and Alethea were whispering nonsense jokes to each other in the backseat. Something about how the seatbelt smelled like goat cheese. Sathvic kept feeding sarcastic commentary from the front.
Even Eucliea, who rarely laughed with sound, let out one under her breath.
Inaya didn't stir. She lay curled into Zorion's chest, her small face nestled against the soft inner lining of his hoodie, rabbit ear drooping across her cheek.
It felt like they had gotten away.
It felt like victory.
But they didn't know.
At the Zaherran Hospital.
The hum of a ceiling fan stirred the stale air. A half-drunk cup of tea sat forgotten on the table.
The receptionist sat stiffly on the edge of her seat, her hospital ID slightly askew.
A man in a dark jacket — mid-40s, police — leaned against the desk across from her, scribbling in a notebook. He looked tired, but alert.
"You said one of the kidnappers ran into you?" he asked.
She nodded, still shaken. "Yeah. A girl. Came around the corner fast — hit me full force. My badge flew off. Mask slipped from her face."
The officer glanced up. "Did you get a good look?"
She hesitated. "I mean, it was fast. But… I think I've seen her before. Earlier tonight."
He waited.
"She came to the desk," the receptionist said slowly, trying to recall. "Asking questions. About orphans. Specifically Indran kids."
The officer's brow lifted slightly. "Indran?"
"Yeah," she said. Then quickly, "I'm not even sure there are any in entire Zaherra."
"Sounded like she was looking for someone?"
"Maybe." A pause. "She didn't say much. Just asked, then left when I said I didn't know anything."
The officer clicked his pen shut. "And now she's running out the first floor with two men."
She nodded, expression uncertain. "I didn't connect it at first, but… it might be her."
"Could you help us with a sketch? Just in case?"
"I can try. I didn't see her that long, though."
"We'll take what we can get." He closed his notebook. "You said she came alone earlier?"
"No, it was a group but I dont remember any of their faces except for her and I think she was..." Her voice trailed off.
The officer finished for her. "She wasn't just passing through."
Silence stretched for a moment.
He stood. "There's already tension because of the Equinox Series. Too many Indrans in town. Based on the information you gave the culprits could be Indrans."
He nodded once. "Sketch team will be down in ten. Stay put."
As he turned to leave, she asked softly: "You really think they took the kid?"
He didn't look back.
"We don't think," he said. "We know."
Back on the road…
Eucliea's eyes flicked to the rear-view mirror.
Alethea was leaned against the window, arms folded but gaze unfocused—somewhere far away. Zorion was still half-awake, lips parted slightly, holding Inaya like she was something fragile.
For a second, Eucliea wondered if this car, this moment, this stolen stretch of road—they could hold onto it. Just keep driving until the map turned blank.
But they couldn't.
Not forever.
Her hand gripped the wheel just a little tighter.
Still, she didn't say anything.
Neither did the others.
They didn't know.
Not yet.
But the hunt had already begun.